Example result based on the prefilled values.
Balance Lasts Until Age
82.00
Years Super Lasts
15.00
Balance at Age 80
A$108,593.71
Balance at Age 90
A$0.00
4% Safe Withdrawal Rate
A$20,000.00
Age Pension Supplement
A$0.00
Continue your plan
Useful next calculations
When to use this calculator
- Before choosing between saving, investing, or increasing your monthly contribution.
- When you want to compare best-case, base-case, and cautious return assumptions.
- When you need a quick projection before making a longer-term portfolio decision.
- When you are deciding how many more years of contributions are needed to reach a specific target balance.
- When you want to see whether starting earlier versus contributing more each month produces a bigger outcome.
A realistic Australia planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
Super Balance at Retirement (A$)
500000
Retirement Age
35
Annual Withdrawal (A$)
40000
Expected Annual Return (%)
5%
After entering these figures, review balance lasts until age, years super lasts and balance at age 80 together rather than in isolation — each metric tells a different part of the story. Then rerun the tool with one input adjusted to see which variable has the biggest effect on all three outputs before you settle on a plan.
How to read your results
Balance Lasts Until Age
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Years Super Lasts
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Balance at Age 80
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Balance at Age 90
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
4% Safe Withdrawal Rate
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Age Pension Supplement
Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.
Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources
This calculator projects how long your superannuation account-based pension will last based on your starting balance, annual withdrawal amount, expected investment return, and inflation rate. Each year, the balance is grown by your chosen return rate and reduced by an inflation-adjusted withdrawal. The optional Age Pension figure of approximately $29,000 per year (2024/25 single rate) reduces the net drawdown from super, reflecting how government support can meaningfully extend a balance. The 4% safe withdrawal rate output is based on widely used retirement planning research suggesting that withdrawing 4% of your initial balance annually gives a high probability of your money lasting 30 years.
Important caveats: this model does not apply ATO minimum drawdown rates, which increase with age and may force higher withdrawals than you enter. Investment returns are not guaranteed — sequence-of-returns risk (poor returns early in retirement) can deplete a balance faster than averages suggest. The Age Pension figure used is approximate and does not account for the assets or income test taper. For personalised retirement planning, consult a licensed financial adviser and the MoneySmart retirement planner on the ASIC website.
Common mistakes
- !Using an assumption that is not supported by a current local quote, bill, statement or official source.
- !Treating a generic estimate as a lender, provider, payroll or tax authority decision.
- !Mixing monthly and annual inputs without converting them consistently.
- !Forgetting location-specific taxes, fees, eligibility rules or payroll deductions where they apply.
- !Testing only one scenario instead of checking how a cautious assumption changes the result.
What to do next
- Run a second scenario with a cautious assumption so you can see the downside clearly.
- Compare the result with the related calculators below before making a decision.
- Check current local rules, eligibility and provider terms before applying or committing money.
- Keep a record of the assumptions so you can update the estimate when a quote, bill or pay figure changes.
- Use the result to prepare better questions for a lender, provider, adviser or employer rather than treating it as a final answer.
Frequently asked
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